2020 Sustainability Vision Update: Scrap Tires

Tires remain one of the most recycled and reclaimed products in the U.S. Since 1990 — through the combined efforts of USTMA, state and federal regulators, recyclers and other stakeholders — 94% of the scrap tires stock-piled in the U.S. have been recovered for new uses. However, USTMA’s 2018 Sustainability Report warned that scrap tire markets needed to grow to accommodate growth in new tire shipments. Data contained in the 2019 USTMA Scrap Tire Summary Report show that scrap tire markets have not kept up. Although the total number of scrap tires going to recycle and reclaim markets has not significantly changed since 2017, the beneficial end use rate for U.S. scrap tires is now just under 76%, down from its 2013 peak of 96%, as scrap tire generation grew 7% (by weight) between 2017 and 2019.